*** Neal Musser and Yaz Yabuta got rocked and Memphis cruised to the victory. Musser gave up 4 runs and lasted only 1 out as he gave up 3 hits and walked in 2 runs before Yabuta got a double play to end the rally. Kila Ka'aihue was hit by a pitch on the wrist in the 1st but didn't leave the game until he was pinch-hit for in the 2nd. Yabuta pitched a perfect 2nd and Omaha got back in the game with 3 runs on a Josh Labandeira RBI single, a run-scoring Redbirds error and a Matt Tupman sac fly. Yabuta was much shakier in the 3rd as Memphis plated 5 runs on 7 hits, although only 1 went for extra bases. Tyler Lumsden came on for the 4th and held the line well through the 8th. Omaha stranded 2 in the 5th and Brian Buchanan doubled in a run in the 7th to cut it to 9-4 before he pitched a perfect 9th in his second pitching appearance of the season. The Royals stranded 1 in the 9th. Memphis SP Blake Hawksworth got the win with 3 runs (1 ER) allowed over 5 innings to improve to 4-7 with a 6.56 ERA. SS Tyler Greene and 3B David Freese both had 3 hits, a double and RBI, although Freese scored 2 runs to Greene's 1. 2B Brendan Ryan also had 2 hits, an RBI and 2 RS.

Omaha is 58-77. The series finale is under way. Starters were Redbirds RH Jess Todd (1-0, 2.13) and LH John Bale (0-2, 8.22). Ka'aihue isn't in Sunday's starting lineup. IF Alberto Callaspo was called off the DL to fill Alex Gordon's vacated roster spot. Brandon Duckworth has also been called up to start for KC.

*** The Naturals opened the series with Tulsa with a win. Blake Johnson stranded the bases full in the 1st and a Jose Duarte RBI groundout in the 3rd gave NWA the lead. Johnson gave up a solo homer in the 3rd to tie it but the Nats scored 2 in the 4th on a 2-run shot by Mario Lisson for his 12th of the season to make it 3-1. A Tulsa error scored an insurance run in the 9th and Tim Hamulack and Chris Hayes were solid out of the pen to finish the win. Tulsa starter Keith Weiser worked 8 innings and allowed 3 unearned runs in falling to 0-2 with a 3.54 ERA. Three Drillers had 2 hits and LF Tony Blanco drilled his 22nd homer.

NWA is 35-26 and still tied for first. Game 2 with Tulsa is ongoing as Dan Cortes started for NW Arkansas.

*** A 4-run 9th polished off the Rocks win and sweep in the finale with the Tribe. Ed Cegarra allowed a run on 2 hits in the 1st but survived a Jeff Bianchi error to escape with only a 1-0 deficit. Wilmington surged ahead with 2 runs in the 4th on a Kurt Mertins RBI single and bases-loaded walk by Jarrod Dyson, although they stranded 3. Cegarra loaded the bases in the 5th and allowed a sac fly before stranding 2. The Rocks regained the lead in the 6th on a Dyson RBI single and then got a Bianchi RBI single in the 7th to make it 4-2. The 9th began with a Brad Correll solo homer for his 8th as a Rock and Josh Johnson ripped a 2-run triple before scoring on a Jeff Howell single to make it 8-2. Greg Holland pitched a perfect 9th to end it. Kinston RP Kyle Landis took the loss with an ER allowed over 2 IP to fall to 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA and starter Kelvin De La Cruz worked 4 innings of 2 ER allowed to move his ERA to 6.08. Topeka native and Kinston 1B Jerad Head was 2-4 with a double, K and RS.

*** Two rallies helped the Bees win their 9th in a row. Danny Gutierrez allowed 2 runs in the 3rd on 3 hits, a walk and Nick Francis error in right. The Bees slugged back in the 5th with 3 runs on a 2-out, 2-run David Lough double and a Johnny Giavotella RBI double to take a 3-2 lead. Two errors, including 1 by Gutierrez, helped Beloit tie the game in the 6th but the Bees scored twice in the 7th on RBI singles by Giavotella and Mike Moustakas to make it 5-3 Bees. Zach Peterson pitched well out of the pen to get the win. Beloit SP Mike McCardell took the loss with 6 2/3 IP of 5 ER allowed to fall to 9-4 with a 3.02 ERA. RF Yangervis Solarte was 2-4 with an RBI and run scored.

The Bees are 39-22 and 4.5 games up on first. The series wrapped today with a Bees loss to snap the 9-game win streak but Burlington clinched a playoff spot with a Quad Cities loss. Brent Fisher took the loss. This will be the Bees' first playoff appearance since 1999. If the Bees' win the second half title, they play Kane County in the first round (not good as the Cougars have led the season series) and if they get the wild card they play Clinton, which would be better as they have fared better versus the LumberKings. A division title would be nice, tho. The Bees are 17-5 in August.

*** The Chukars had the game in hand in the 8th but the bullpen faltered and Ogden came back for the win. Neder Severino doubled and scored on a Patrick Norris forceout in the 3rd but Ivor Hodgson allowed the tying run in the 4th on a walk and double. With 2 on and 2 out in the 5th, J.D. Alfaro came through with a 2-run double to make it 3-1 and it stayed that way into the 8th. James Thompson came in with 2 on and 1 out but allowed a 2-run double to tie it and a 2-out RBI double to give Ogden the lead. The last 8 Chukars went down in order. Ogden SP Mike Watt went the distance with 3 ER allowed to improve to 7-4 with a 4.46 ERA. SS Devaris Gordon was 3-4 with a double and K and 3B Pedro Baez was 2-4 with a double, 2 RBI and RS.

IF is 13-12 and 6.5 games out. The series wraps in Ogden today before shifting to Idaho Falls Monday. Ryan Morgan started for IF.

*** The Royals tried to stage a late comeback but fell short. A walk, hit, wild pitch and passed ball helped the Mariners to a run off Giancarlo De La Cruz in the 1st and Burlington stranded 2 in the 2nd before the M's added 3 runs in the 3rd on a solo homer and 3 other hits. De La Cruz was pulled after allowing another run in the 4th and Manauri Baez held Pulaski in check. The Royals stranded 2 in the 4th but finally got on the scoreboard on Yeldrys Molina's 1st homer of the season for the Royals to cut it to 5-1. Diego Cruz hit a 2-out RBI single in the 8th but the Royals stranded 2. David Wood came through with an RBI single in the 9th but Burlington stranded 2 as Philip Roy got his 5th save for Pulaski. Starter Brooks Mohr worked 5 scoreless innings to improve to 6-4 with a 3.27 ERA. Three M's had 2 hits and C Juan Fuentes hit 2 doubles and drove home 3 runs.

The Royals are 24-39. The final series of the season starts tonight at home versus the Danville Braves (33-32). The Royals are 4-4 versus the Braves. Sam Runion is starting the opener.

*** The Cubs put it away with a 7-run 7th. Mike Montgomery stranded 2 Cubs in the 1st but allowed 2 runs in the 2nd on a bases-loaded walk and RBI single before stranding 3. Hilton Richardson cranked a 2-run homer in the 3rd to tie the game for his 1st at the AZL this season but the Cubs got to Leondy Perez for a run in the 5th to regain the lead. James Nilsen retied the game with an RBI double in the 6th and Perez was pulled for Casey Feickert with 2 on and none out in the Cubs 7th. From there, the wheels fell off as 6 hits and a walk drove in 7 runs and the rally ended only when Richardson nailed a runner at third. Feickert and Angel Martinez were tagged for 2 more runs in the 8th and the Royals scored no more. RP Yohan Gonzalez blew his 1st save but picked up the win with 2 1/3 IP of scoreless pitching to move to 5-1 with a 1.95 ERA. Starter Miguel Sierra worked 4 innings of 2 ER allowed to move his ERA to 4.43. DH Starlin Castro was 5-6 with an RBI and RS, LF Jericho Jones was 3-6 with a double, RBI and RS, and CF Tony Campana had 2 hits and drove in 3 runs along with his 18th SB.

*** The Royals got it tied in the 9th but lost it in the bottom of the inning. Mitch Hodge's rough season continued with a rough 1st as the A's scored 3 runs on 3 hits and a hit batsman. Derek Rodriguez hit a solo homer in the 3rd to get the Royals a run and Edwin Henriquez singled in a run in the 4th to cut it to 3-2. Gary Cuevas came in with 1 on and 1 out in the 5th and gave up a 2-run homer to extend the A's lead. Rodriguez started a rally with a double in the 9th as Yowill Espinal singled in a run and Deivy Batista hit a 2-out, 2-run triple to tie the game. He was left at third and, with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th, an Espinal error allowed a batter to reach and a double ended it. RP Jonathan Joseph blew his 1st save but got the win with 1/3 scoreless IP to move to 1-1 with a 4.03 ERA. Starter Jose Garcia worked 2 scoreless innings to keep a perfect ERA. CF Rashun Dixon was 3-4 with his 9th triple, 8th homer and 4 RBI along with 2 RS and RF Chris Berroa had 2 hits for the A's.